Hasina vows to return to Bangladesh, calls Yunus a ‘mobster’

Former Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina has vowed to return to her homeland from her exile in India, accusing her country’s interim government chief Muhammad Yunus of being a “mobster”.

Hasina, who flew to India in August last year following mass protests against her government, made the pledge while talking on Zoom to the widows of four policemen killed by a mob last year.

"The killings (of the policemen) were part of a meticulous conspiracy to throw me out of power," she said. "I will return and avenge the deaths of our policemen."

Hasina’s charge against Yunus

Hasina alleged that the interim government had "unleashed terrorists" to butcher people. "They are destroying Bangladesh."

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Hasina claimed that she escaped an assassination attempt narrowly when her government was overthrown.

"By the grace of God, I was kept alive to do something good. I will return and ensure justice for all of you," a teary-eyed Awami League leader told the widows.

Hasina denounces violence

Hasina said nearly 450 police stations were set on fire and that the killings were part of a larger conspiracy orchestrated by Yunus, a Nobel laureate who she said had accepted that there was a "design and conspiracy" to remove the former prime minister.

She added that "mobster" Yunus and others who caused these killings would be brought to justice "on Bangla soil".

"This government that usurped power has to go. People have to ensure that. Human rights violations under him (Yunus) have been unprecedented. We have to ensure the people put him out of power."

Bangladesh anarchy

Student-led protests against the Hasina government in July last year escalated into anarchy, leaving hundreds dead, forcing her to fly to India as menacing mobs threatened to overrun her office in Dhaka.

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Since then, Bangladesh has descended into a virtual mob rule, with supporters of Hasina as well as members of minority communities, in particular Hindus, coming under vicious attacks.

Dhaka on Hasina

As her address and threat became known, Bangladesh reaffirmed its commitment to bringing her back from India and said securing Hasina's extradition remained its top priority.

"We will continue our efforts to extradite Hasina to hold her trial in person," Yunus' press secretary Shafiqul Alam said in Dhaka on Tuesday (February 18).

He added that the people and political parties of Bangladesh will decide if the Awami League should continue to exist in the country's political landscape.